Speed-related accident rate here among highest in state

7.3 percent of crashes involved unsafe speeds, report says

Frankfort is one of seven cities in the state identified as having a high number of speed-related accidents.

The annual Analysis of Traffic Crash Data from the Kentucky Transportation Center included Frankfort on the list of cities recommended for additional speed enforcement programs.

To be on the list, cities had to have at least 150 crashes involving unsafe speeds in the past five years, and speed-related crashes had to account for at least 6 percent of the total number of crashes.

“These cities or counties stand out at the top of the list and might need further analysis,” said Eric Green, transportation research engineer and an author of the study.

Frankfort had 349 unsafe speed related crashes from 2007-2011, which makes up 7.3 percent of the total number of crashes in that time period.

There were 4,799 total crashes in Frankfort from 2007-2011. This number is slightly lower from the 2006-2010 report, which showed Frankfort with 4,806 crashes.

Out of all the cities in Kentucky, Frankfort ranked seventh in the number of crashes involving unsafe speeds.

Other cities recommended for more speed enforcement programs were Independence, Lexington, Richmond, Hopkinsville, Georgetown and Erlanger.

Frankfort Police Maj. Fred Deaton said he is familiar with the study, and police use the information from it in grant applications, specifically for the Highway Safety Grant the department has received the past few years.

With the grant from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Office of Highway Safety, he said more overtime pay is allowed, which increases overall enforcement.

Deaton said the police department identified six roads in the last grant application as areas with the highest number of crashes, including U.S. 60, U.S. 127, U.S. 421, KY 1659, KY 420 and KY 676, all of which are high-traffic areas.

With the grant funding, police upped patrols on those roads in hopes of lowering the number of all crashes, Deaton said.

Want to leave your comments?

I'd like to see more tickets written for the other offenses that are the norm around here because no one ever gets stopped for such as driving too slowly, not using signals, tailgating, recklessly switching lanes, and remaining in the fast lane.

September 20, 2012 8:17PM

I've given up the stupid stuff myself. I encountered this system on my trip from here to Tupelo MS.(bidness travel) The system was well posted by many signs that essentially said "we are watching you"(not an actual quote, but you get the idea). I too avoid Lexington (KY) like the plague, even though I went to UK. I agree with Ron that you have to keep your head moving. I've seem some really stupid shirt here.

Steve_Fry

September 20, 2012 7:18PM

Interesting reading, Needy. Since I've "grown up" and have stopped doing stupid $h!t like that, I don't have a problem with red-light cameras or speed cameras. The worst you'll see me doing anywhere near a camera is sending the occasional, short text message. Ronnie's right on one thing -- you've gotta be on your guard nowadays. Plus, I don't drive very much in Lexington. Louisville is my "big city" of choice, since I'm a west-ender. They're *slightly* better drivers.

September 20, 2012 4:21PM

You might find this entertaining. I do get around.--------------------------------------
http://www.themunicipal.com/2012/05/traffic-management-in-selmer-tn-intersection-cameras-in-a-small-town/

September 20, 2012 3:14PM

And this is supposed to be a surprise? I have been screaming at the top of my lungs for how many years about this very issue. Wife and pregnant daughter were driving on Man-O-War last week and nearly got killed by a driver who was traveling at an estimated speed of 70 miles per hour, barrelling through an intersection. Report was the driver appeared to have a crazed look on her face and seemed to be willing to take everyone along on her ride to her early grave.
Perhaps its time to install cameras along major intersections and speed measuring devices as a way to monitor and ultimately apprehend offenders. The time has come for drastic measures to help save lives and make driving safer for all of us out here.